Time with Friends

A few years ago I was invited to join some close friends of mine on a hunting trip at their hunting camp. I have been fortunate to have been invited back every year since and it has become somewhat of a tradition for us to get together and hunt around Christmas each year.

A few years ago our sons got old enough to take with us on this annual hunting trip. They are about the same age and although they only see each other about once a year they play together like they have known each other their entire life. We always have a great time reminiscing about old times and making new memories.

This year we had a special treat because both boys would kill a dear during the trip. They shot about ten minutes apart from each other and since it was about dark the tracking and cleaning process took us to about midnight. Although nobody got up quite as early as usual the next morning we all had a great time.

Hunting trips are not about whether or not you get a deer, but more about good times and spending time with people you care about, but getting a deer certainly helps cap off the trip must like icing on a cake. The two days we spent were two quality days spent enjoying nature and the company of good friends.

Outdoor Time

My son and I were able to do a little hunting and although there were no deer in sight, we still had a great time. The weather was just right, not too cold but still cool enough to keep the bugs away. We saw two fox squirrels, one gray squirrel, and countless birds. I am so blessed to have a healthy son who still enjoys the little things in life. He got cracked up when a red bird landed right behind my head in the shooting house. His smile lit up the shooting house and he is still excited just to see a squirrel (although he wanted to shoot it with a .243 rifle). I know these days will be gone quickly, but I am enjoying every minute I possibly can.

First Deer

The day started like any other hunting day. We got up earlier than we do for any other activity and the frost covered the ground like a blanket of white. We bundled up, drove an hour, and got into the stand anticipating the deer to feed. Well actually, we had second thoughts about the ladder stand and were going to opt for the shooting house but due to some seating issues, we decided on the ladder stand. My son had a little hesitation because he couldn't climb very well with all the clothing we had on, but with a little help we were able to safely climb into the ladder stand.

We saw two deer early in the hunt, but try as we might, we couldn't get a good shot. One thing I have tried to teach my son is to never shoot unless you have a good stable shot that you can make sure you have a good chance for a kill shot. We have let several deer walk because we didn't have a good shot, and it looked like today would be no different.

Then, here came the deer. The walked right in front of us right into the shooting lane you sit and hope they appear in, and there were several of them to choose from. He was so nervous he had a little problem finding them in the scope and it was a good thing there were several deer because the first few walked on through the shooting lane. Some of them were walking fairly quickly so I whistled to try and stop them and finally they hung around long enough for him to have a good shot. He squeezed the trigger and the deer showed obvious signs of a good shot, but I pulled up my gun to make sure it didn't get away, but before I had to shoot it stumbled and fell and never moved.

The deer was out of my sight, but my son could see it and saw that it wasn't moving. I can't describe the smile on his face and the joy in his eyes as he looked at me and said, "I killed my first deer." That moment is one of those moments Daddy's dream of and lets you know that maybe you are doing something right. We sat for several minutes to make sure it was really dead and several times he put the scope on the deer and I would ask if the deer was moving and he would say emphatically, "It is motionless."

Finally we made our way down the stand, which was much smoother than the trip up the stand, and we carefully approached the deer to ensure it was truly dead and not just stunned. We took pictures, called my Dad to bring the four wheeler and the day was complete; well except for all the recounts which were numerous.

Spending quality time with my nine year old son is sometimes difficult due to my job, but we try to get outside and do something he enjoys which is spend time outdoors hunting, fishing, and just exploring. I just hope that he is developing a love for the outdoors which he will keep and pass along to his children.

Thanksgiving

I have so much to be thankful for it is hard to know where to begin, so let me just say that the Lord has blessed me with many more blessings than I could have ever imagined. My family is healthy and love each other which makes pretty much everything else just icing on the cake.

Spending time outside is also a blessing many people take for granted. There are still places where we can go and enjoy hiking, hunting, fishing and other outside activities. Some people don't enjoy these activities and that is fine because we are all different and enjoy different things; but for those of us that do, we should never take the opportunity for granted.

Missed Opportunity

The morning began as many other hunting mornings with the sun peeking up over the horizon and the stillness of the woods overcoming to the scurrying of the squirrels. We had been in the stand for an hour and half watching squirrels, chipmunks, and birds but no deer. My son saw a deer behind us and when we turned to look there were three deer walking up behind us. He turned around and had his gun on the deer and squeezed the trigger, but nothing happened. During the excitement of the first hunt of the year he had forgotten to push off his safety. I couldn't give him any directions because the deer were too close and when he tried to push of the safety the deer snorted and ran away.

We still enjoyed the day and some valuable lessons were learned that will pay off another day. The main thing was that we got to spend time together enjoying each other's company. He got to witness first hand the behavior deer exhibit when they spot you, but can't quiet figure out what you are and this is a lesson he will not soon forget.

Big Day!

It was a big day for my son (and me) as he killed his first squirrel. We got to the woods about daylight and the sky was a beautiful red with white streaks of clouds swirling above. The leaves were falling like rain which prompted my son to announce that he knew why the season was called "fall". It appeared to be another day of spending quality time with each other, but no hunting success and then things changed. He spotted a squirrel that I didn't even see only a few yards away and made the shot. The smile on his face was unforgettable and made getting up before daylight only a minor memory. The scene conjured up memories of my first squirrel with my Dad. Squirrel hunting is an excellent way to ease young people into hunting and is a rite of passage of sort for hunters. Although he has been deer hunting several times and has come very close to getting one this was his first animal to harvest.

Hunting is more about camaraderie and spending time together, and the "hunt" more than about the "kill". The patience my son has shown has been great and hopefully he has learned more about patience through our hunts. We live in such a "microwave" age full of video games and hunting shows that give the illusion of instant action that sitting quietly for hours without achieving your goal seems foreign to many young people. However, these are important life lessons than will be valuable in the future and to some extent teach a work ethic of staying with something until the job is done.

The small things in life can be some of our lasting memories and the smile on his face and his happiness will be an image I will never forget. I know that he will soon grow older and such moments will be less frequent as the things that make us smile unfortunately become more complex. We could all learn a lesson from the youngsters and allow the small things in life to bring us pleasure.

Day in Nature

I was able to spend an entire day outside enjoying the great outdoors and catching up with some of the people I love. It was very warm for November 11, but not too hot and was a great day to be out enjoying nature. I was out under the guise of scouting for deer, but just being out there was more fun than the scouting I was getting to do. I spent a lot of the day with my Dad and we had a great time enjoying each other's company and the outdoor fun. Even though my Dad doesn't enjoy hunting, he still appreciates the outdoors and loves spending time in nature. I am sure I inherited my love of the outdoors from him and hopefully I have been able to pass this along to my son.

Small Adventures

My son and I don't have as much time as both of us would like to spend in the great outdoors so we have to enjoy even the shortest excursions. We recently spent a little time outdoors at a creek on our land. We got in a little target practice and had some fun exploring. We didn't see much wildlife, mainly due to the noise we made, but we still had fun. Spending time with each other is always the highlight of any day even though it may not last long enough. We look to have a few more outdoor adventures coming up in the next few weeks.

Floating Down Elk River

My son and I floated Elk River last week and it was a beautiful trip, although there was virtually no current. We didn't paddle very much in the beginning, but toward the end we picked up the pace. It took us about three and a half hours to travel four miles and someone told me they did it in an hour when the current was moving. I wouldn't want to go that fast, I kind of enjoyed the peace and quiet, but a little help would have been appreciated. Just spending time with my nine year old son was the best part of the trip. We don't get to have as many of these excursions as we both would like.

Dove Hunting

My son and I did a little dove hunting Saturday (very little). We had a nice relaxing time because the birds sure didn't bother us. We are looking forward to having a little more time on Saturdays for a little outdoor activity. We seem to always have big plans, but never get around to doing as much outdoors as we hope. Football and baseball take a lot of time, but the main thing is that we are spending time together. My four year old daughter is about to be five and hopefully can begin coming with us on some of our trips. This should be an very interesting experience!

Very Little Fishing

My son and I haven't been able to do much fishing lately. Between his baseball schedule and my work schedule, fishing trips have been a little scarce. We were able to do a little fishing while we were camping at Spring Creek. We had a great time getting connected with nature once again. We tried a little "experiment" with my daughter and camping in the back yard. I learned that she isn't ready to do any camping any time soon. It was alright until bed time came and she wanted to go inside. She will take a little working on to get her sold on the wonder of the great outdoors. Air conditioning has a strong hold on her and a little fear of the dark is still in play as well.

We will keep fishing, hunting, hiking and loving the outdoors every chance we get!!!!

Working Hard on a Snowman

What a girl!

Deer Hunting Season

Deer hunting season is about over, but I am looking forward to warmer weather and doing a little fishing.